Bike and sunset in Santa Maria

I love this photo. I am sharing it here as is, no edits, no filters. I want you to see what I saw that afternoon.

This photo represents everything about my usual day. If there is one word to describe my day, or my entire life, at present, that word will be “practice.”

Everything for me now is a practice. When I wake up in the morning I do asanas on my mat, I write in my journal, I read a good book, I meditate. After this set of morning rituals, I eat breakfast where I try to be present with the food on the table and the people around me.

After breakfast, I do what most of us do. I work, which itself is a continuous practice. In the afternoon, at around 4 or 5 pm, I ride my bike to my favorite trail, a two-kilometer dirt path across rice fields, which is usually quiet at this time of the day.

While there, the muse visits me, I begin to write poems and intuitive prose. I begin to see camera angles and story-filled compositions. As the sun begins its descent, I park my bike and stand still behind it. I look at the horizon and stare at the crimson sky.

I know that these experiences might seem like a privilege for some but I also believe that all of us can make room for these “free” moments if only we choose to. We should strive to seek beauty in the ordinary monotony of everyday life.